If you have noticed that the battery on your Nissan Quest is not staying fully charged or maybe the alternator light on the dash has been coming on, it may be time for a new alternator. The alternator is the heart of the electrical system on your vehicle and provides not only charging for the battery but also power to the lights, ignition system and other parts of the van. If you suspect the alternator is bad, removing it and taking it to an auto parts store for testing is a good idea. While you are there, you can buy a new one if yours is determined to be defective.

1

Remove the negative battery cable from the battery with a wrench. Isolate the battery cable connector from the battery while you work.

2

Locate the serpentine belt tensioner on the front of the engine. Turn the tensioner clockwise using a socket and ratchet placed on the bolt in the center of the tensioner pulley.

3

Slide the serpentine belt off the alternator pulley and leave it laying on the other pulleys. Locate the wiring harness connector on the rear of the alternator. Unplug the connector by depressing the locking tab and pulling the connector out of the alternator.

4

Remove the upper and lower alternator mounting bolts with a socket and ratchet. The bolts go in from the back of the alternator and can be removed by sliding them out the same way.

5

Lift the alternator out of the engine compartment. Lower the new alternator into place and insert the two mounting bolts into the alternator and brackets from the rear of the alternator. Torque the upper mounting bolt to 21 foot-pounds and the lower bolt to 62 foot-pounds using a torque wrench.

6

Connect the alternator wiring harness connector to the alternator, making sure it locks in when you insert it into the plug. Turn the serpentine belt tensioner with a socket and ratchet clockwise to release the tension and install the drive belt.

7

Slide the belt into position on the alternator and verify that it is still on the other pulleys than slowly release the tension and allow the tensioner to tighten the belt.

8

Reinstall the negative battery cable onto the battery and tighten the retaining bolt with a wrench. Test drive the vehicle to confirm that the repair was successful.

Items you will need

References

About the Author

Christian Killian has been a freelance journalist/photojournalist since 2006. After many years of working in auto parts and service positions, Killian decided to move into journalism full-time. He has been published in "1st Responder News" as well as in other trade magazines and newspapers in the last few years.